Because plants make workers happy
New research shows that ‘green’ offices with plants make staff happier and more productive than ‘lean’ offices. The research showed plants in the office significantly increase workplace satisfaction, self-reported levels of concentration, and perceived air quality.
The research was conducted by academics from the University of Exeter, the University of Groningen in The Netherlands, and the University of Queensland, Australia in two large commercial offices in the UK and The Netherlands. Research team member Marlon Nieuwenhuis says: “Simply enriching a previously Spartan space with plants served to increase productivity by 15% – a figure that aligns closely with findings in previously conducted laboratory studies..”
Professor Alex Haslam, co-author of the study, adds: “The ‘lean’ philosophy has been influential across a wide range of organizational domains. Our research questions this widespread conviction that less is more. Sometimes less is just less”.
Kenneth Freeman, Head of Innovation at interior landscaping company Ambius, says: “We know from previous studies that plants can lower physiological stress, increase attention span and improve well-being. But this is the first long term experiment carried out in a real-life situation which shows that bringing plants into offices can improve well-being and make people feel happier at work. Businesses should rethink their lean processes, not only for the health of the employees, but for the financial health of the organization.”